It’s interesting how I have stopped getting stressed about people not socially distancing in the city, I remember about 6 weeks ago or so it would really wind me up! People still don’t socially distance, but it’s become the kind of “new norm” that we don’t and can’t socially distance.
This evening, my friend Henry dropped by on his way to visit his mum, who lives on the outskirts of Edinburgh, it was great to see him (in the real world). As we walked along the street he was getting really annoyed with people walking too close to him and not socially distancing. He lives out in the countryside, in Fife and it reminded me that this does not bother me anymore.
We literally CAN’T socially distance, in the city, there are just too many people out and about and too many cars on the road. Plus, so many people don’t care about socially distancing from their fellow pedestrians.
We went to Kate’s Park and sat on the bench for a while.
This morning, I had less energy, but still did a good few hours of work – the lack of sleep over the last few nights is catching up on me. I have been going to bed too late. But once I was out and about in the sunshine, I got lots of energy. It’s interesting how the sunshine lifts our mood and energy.
Also, seeing Henry (in the real world) really helped my mood and energy. It was the real life connection. Since lock-down, I have become so much more aware of this and appreciate real life connection with friends sooo much more!!
I am starting to realise that meeting friends in the real world is really important to me. I was thinking today, I could start trying to meet up with friends more often, at 6pm (ish) for a couple of hours.
So if any of my friends, reading this and want to meet up, please do get in touch!
This morning on my morning walk with Honey the Dog, I stumbled across a small piece of grass with lots of beautiful flowers in it. The grass area is accessed by a gate, which must be a public space as it has a chain on it and signs from the council that it is closed. But because it has been untouched, it has flourished!
So lovely to see close to where I live!
Poetry Corner
FiStill I Rise by Maya Angelou
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust,
I’ll rise.
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own backyard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air,
I’ll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
Thanks for sharing that Fi!
Readers Corner
Danny
Danny is new to Readers Corner, Welcome!
He saw some Puffins in the sea at Portobello, which is where Honey and I have ran too twice in lock-down!
Honey the Dog
Today Honey made some new friends and posted on her Instagram (@honeythedog_lab), she wrote:
“Met this group in Holyrood Park on my daily walk with @jimthemagician – I was hoping they had some food for me!! It was a super hot day!! They all seemed to be in awe of me 😁”
She now has lots of new Instagram followers 🙂
We saw a few of them walking down Easter Road later in the day and they said “hello” to Honey again!!
It Made Me Smile
Jim (me)
This evening I saw the latest poem on YouTube by Tom Foolery. Remember I shared his poem called The Great Realisation on Day 40, which has over 6 million views on YouTube.
This poem is also a great one and is called ‘The Inventor’ check it out below. It made me smile
Also, in this section is something I have been doing for a few days now. I have been giving messages/emails to services, etc…thanking them for all their hard work. Today, I logged into the Universal Credit centre to ask a question and finished it with the following:
Thanks for all your hard work in a time when Universal Credit applications has doubled in Scotland, so you must be all working so much harder.
Within a couple of hours Dave from the Job Centre in Leith replied answering my question. He started his message with the following:
First of all, let me thank you for your kind acknowledgement. It is not often we are thanked for the work that we do! :)
His response made me smile and probably made him smile too!
Twenty-Five Day Push-Up Challenge
It’s Day 7! Getting better and better at this – went to a different part of Arthur’s Seat today to do it in glorious sunshine and really hot!
As I come to the end of today’s blog, I am super tired, so have kept it relatively short so I can get to bed!
It’s been a super hot day today, 25 degrees centigrade! I think they have been saying the hottest day of 2020 in many parts of the UK. Although, some clouds in the air, it’s been really humid.
This evening on our bedtime walk, the temperature had dropped a bit. So even still in t-shirts and shorts, there was a bit more of a chill in the air. I think it is forecast to be similar tomorrow 🙂
It took ages waiting for the seagull to appear for the photo!
The main thing I have realised today is, although I am loving being on my own, meeting friends (in the real world) really helps with my mood, energy and connection with myself. Perhaps my love for solitude for the last 12 weeks or so is starting to change?
Hope you’ve found some time to enjoy the sunshine today.
Thanks for reading.
Jim xx